A very common summer experience for Americans is a summer, ‘road trip.’ Many of us first experience this quintessential summer experience as children, riding in the back of the family sedan, heading off to points far far away.
This experience varies a lot by who you are in the car (SUV, crossover, truck, whatever). The dog’s experience is typically from 6” above the floor; nothing to see, warm vibrating floor, stuffy. Kids might be able to just see out the windows, a tad bored, asking, “are we there yet?” As adults, as parents, we get the full exposure of the experience. The dog(s), kid(s), logistics, climate control, road signs, and near-hourly stops at restrooms and vendors for snacks or drinks.
Have you stopped to think about what made certain portions of the road trip more or less enjoyable?
Take a look at just two parts of the trip that can have a significant impact on Mom & Dad: Construction and Pit Stops.
Road construction
Road construction’s rarely a ‘fun’ experience, a box you check-off as one of your Things to Do or Places to See. Shunted this way and that, stop-n-go traffic, with a seemingly endless procession of orange barrels.
As you travel through different states you get a feel for the different ‘flavors’ of construction in each. Many, arguably most, states do absolutely nothing to help smooth the experience. Construction zones are abruptly marked, sometimes with little or near-zero warning. Repaving areas may continue on for many miles without giving you even a hint as to how much you need to endure.
Some states do far better…they actually work to make the experience at least tolerable if not occasionally fun. Most appreciated are the signs that give you advance warning so you can investigate alternative routes. In no-options situations, they might at least tell you what’s coming ‘10 miles ahead,’ or, ‘Repaving next 29 miles, …next 18 miles, …12 more miles…’ or some such. They’ve set your expectations. Unset expectation is a large source of stress—not knowing. In some states you’ll also see a series of Smiley faces that themselves help display displeasure. At the first mile you might get an ‘unhappy’ 
face. Halfway through you get a ‘straight’ face 
. And as the end approaches, the face starts to turn happy, giving you a smile 
. We all like those, don’t we?
Pit Stops
Pit stops are another major component of a road trip. My own family might stop every 90 minutes given the option. Over the course of a long day we might stop 5 times to take a break. At each stop we have an opportunity to stop in at a store for more drinks, snacks, or fuel.
We all appreciate clean restrooms, prompt service, and foodstuffs not being over-priced (particularly held captive on toll roads). But what one thing can really make the individual pit stop more memorable than another? I’ve noticed it often is as simple as a store clerk that simply, openly and genuinely, smiles as they help you.
The Power of a Smile!
There must be something behind the power of a smile. A contemporary search engine will turn up 20, 30, 40 million entries on the topic (this will be +1). I encourage everyone to remember, despite current economic, job, or home oriented stresses, to do your best to smile during your travels this summer. You will feel better, those with you will feel better, and those you come across will as well.
Smile. It’s contagious:)
Photo credits:
Road Closed – Laura Leavell
Sun & Cloud – Billy Alexander
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